Sport is critical to people-centred development in the Pacific Islands.
Speaking on the side of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) International Relations Commission (IRC) Meeting, Chair Baklai Temengil said, “the Commission recognises the importance of sport as a contributor to people-centred development.”
Held at the Sofitel Brisbane Central Hotel, Temengil said the meeting reflected on the journey to position sport as cross-cutting priority regional policy priority in the Pacific.
Temengil added that the Commission discussed “opportunities for leveraging strategic partnerships to maximise the value of sport to contribute towards critical priorities in the Pacific.”
“Sport can play such a critical role in our communities in addressing some of our key priorities such as health, education, non-communicable diseases and climate issues.”
New members
Temengil said the Commission was pleased to welcome its new members: Dr Giulio Masasso Paunga, Deputy Vice Chancellor from The University of the South Pacific (USP); Tuala Matthew Vaea, CEO of the Samoa Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee (SASNOC); and Ken Wallace, Acting Chair of the ONOC Athletes’ Commission.
They replace Karo Lelai of Papua New Guinea (Athletes’ Commission Representative), Maretino Nemani (USP), and Patrick Fepuleai, former President of SANOC.
Temengil said, “ONOC and the International Relations Commission are grateful for the contributions and support received from the outgoing members and look forward to working with the three new members who also come with great experience and knowledge from their various fields.”
Article adapted from the ONOC website.